Petunia plant named ‘Surf Ohakuni’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Surf Ohakuni’, characterized by its upright to trailing and mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; medium-sized flowers that are dark purplish red in color with dark purple-colored venation; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia x hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SURF OHAKUNI’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia x hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Surf Ohakuni’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new trailing and freely-branching habit Petunia plants with numerous large attractive flowers.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in June, 2014 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of a proprietary selection of Petunia x hybrida identified as code designation Px7109-04, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Petunia x hybrida identified as code designation K0272, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in June, 2015.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since April, 2016 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Surf Ohakuni’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Surf Ohakuni’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Upright to trailing and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Medium-sized flowers that are dark purplish red in color with         dark purple-colored venation.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as flowers of plants of the new Petunia are dark purplish red in color whereas flowers of plants of the female parent selection are red in color.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in plant size as plants of the new Petunia are broader than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of the Petunia x hybrida ‘Surf Gorehana’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 29,691. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia and ‘Surf Gorehana’ differ primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia have shorter internodes and more         leaves per lateral branch than plants of ‘Surf Gorehana’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia are more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Surf Gorehana’.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Surf Gorehana’ differ in         flower color as flowers of plants of the new Petunia are dark         purplish red in color whereas flowers of plants of ‘Surf         Gorehana’ are bright red pink in color.     -   4. Petal venation of plants of the new Petunia is more distinct         than petal venation of plants of ‘Surf Gorehana’.     -   5. Sepals of plants of the new Petunia are shorter than sepals         of plants of ‘Surf Gorehana’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet (FIG. 1 ) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Surf Ohakuni’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet (FIG. 2 ) is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘Surf Ohakuni’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the early summer in 24-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Petunia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 23° C. and night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were six months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia x hybrida ‘Surf Ohakuni’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Petunia x             hybrida identified as code designation Px7109-04, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Petunia x             hybrida identified as code designation K0272, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About one week at             temperatures about 15° C. to 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and             winter.—About three weeks at temperatures about 15° C. to             20° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; typically white in color, actual             color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition,             water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Upright to trailing and             mounding plant habit; freely branching habit with numerous             lateral branches developing per plant; pinching enhances             lateral branch development; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 19 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 71 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 23.8 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2.9 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.6 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong, flexible.         -   Aspect.—Upright to mostly outwardly to eventually trailing.         -   Texture.—Densely pubescent; rough; viscid.         -   Color.—Close to 144A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Quantity and arrangement.—About 16 leaves per lateral             branch; alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 4 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.6 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptic.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely pubescent;             viscid.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138A. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B; venation,             close to 138B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 138B; venation, close to 138C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 3.2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; viscid. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 138B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Medium-sized single-type             salverform flowers arising from upper leaf axils; freely             flowering habit with usually about four flowers developing             per lateral branch and about 209 flower buds and flowers             developing per plant during the flowering season; flowers             face mostly upright to outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit; plants of             the new Petunia initiate and develop flowers about three to             four weeks after planting; long flowering period, flowering             commences naturally during the spring and plants flower             continuously throughout the summer until late autumn in             Japan.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten             days on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 4.75 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 mm.             Shape: Cylindrical. Color: Immature sepals, close to N187A;             immature petals, close to N186A.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5.8 cm.         -   Flower tube length.—About 3.2 cm.         -   Flower tube diameter, proximally.—About 3.8 mm.         -   Flower tube diameter, distally.—About 1.25 cm.         -   Corolla.—Quantity and arrangement: Five in a single whorl,             fused at the base and opening into a flared trumpet. Petal             length from throat: About 2.1 cm. Petal width: About 2.8 cm.             Petal shape: Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Cuspidate. Petal             margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Petal texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Throat texture:             Smooth, glabrous; velvety. Tube texture: Pubescent, rough.             Color: Petal, when opening, upper surface: Close to N79A.             Petal, when opening, lower surface: Close to N81A. Petal,             fully opened, upper surface: Close to N79C; venation, close             to N187A; color becoming closer to 72A with subsequent             development. Petal, fully opened, lower surface: Close to             72A; venation, close to 72A; color does not change with             subsequent development. Throat: Distally, close to N186A;             mid-section, close to 203C; proximally, close to 203C and             N77B; venation, close to 187A. Tube: Distally, close to             N92C; proximally, close to N77A; venation, similar to lamina             colors.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five             sepals arranged in a single whorl and fused at the base.             Sepal length: About 1 cm. Sepal width: About 3.4 mm. Sepal             shape: Linear. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire.             Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Densely pubescent;             viscid. Color, upper surface: Close to 138A. Color, lower             surface: Close to 137C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 1.6 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong, flexible. Aspect: Upright to             outwardly. Texture: Densely pubescent; viscid. Color: Close             to NN137B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Filament length: About 1.3 cm. Filament color: Close to 145C             and 72B. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther size: About 2.5             mm by 3 mm. Anther color: Close to 91D. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 92B. Pistils: Quantity per             flower: One. Pistil length: About 2.3 cm. Style color: Close             to 145C. Stigma shape: Transversely ellipsoidal. Stigma             color: Close to 145A. Ovary color: Close to 142A. Seeds and             fruits: To date, seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Petunia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Petunia have     not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Petunia plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Surf Ohakuni’ as illustrated and described. 